Chapter 8

After the fundraiser event, Olivia and Alex made their way back to the mansion, the events of the evening weighing heavily on their minds but neither spoke about it. 

The atmosphere between them was charged with a newfound awareness of their deepening connection. They had both felt the closeness of their dance, and it lingered in the air around them..

Their loved-up appearance at the event has quelled the swirling rumors that Alex and Sophia were in a loveless marriage, married only for financial gain. Alex needed the news of the relationship with his wife to be in a positive light with the press to put him in good light and out of the Police's radar before he announced that Sophia Carter was missing. 

The mansion felt empty and cold as Olivia walked through the front door. She missed the warmth and peace of the beach house- the sand on her feet, the breeze of the trees, the ocean's tide washing against her feet and the continuous call of the birds. Perhaps she also missed how it had gotten her in a small space with Alexander Westmore. She despised him and wanted him at the same time. .

On entering her room, she was greeted by the disgruntled meows of Molly who made no attempt to hide her displeasure at being left behind. Olivia felt a twinge of guilt as she knelt down to give Molly a scratch behind the ears.

"I'm sorry I left you here, Molly," she cooed, trying to placate the scowling cat. "But I promise I'll make it up to you once this is all over.''

It was just a week left before she left the mansion of Alexander Westmore.

Her attention was suddenly drawn to a strange glint on the wall, a flash of light that seemed to be coming from a small hole. She stood up, intrigued, and moved closer to inspect it.

The hole was tiny, no more than a pinprick, but as she drew nearer, she could see that it was definitely emitting a small beam of light, like a beam of sunlight passing through a crack.

She had never noticed the hole before, and wondered if it was a new development or something she had simply overlooked. The position of the hole on the wall was puzzling to Olivia. Her room was the last one on the floor, and she couldn't imagine where the light was coming from. There was no adjacent room that could possibly be the source of the light, and the window in her own room was on the opposite side of the wall.

She pressed her eye against the hole, hoping to get a better idea of what was causing the light. To her surprise, she found herself looking into what appeared to be a narrow passageway, with a faint glimmer of light at the far end.

She pulled away from the hole, her heart racing with fear. Was it possible that this was some kind of hidden entrance, or was it merely a quirk of the building's design? Was someone watching her from the hole? Could it be Alex? 

As she stepped out of her room, she was surprised to see Jack Collins, in his usual black suit and grave look, walking quickly towards her from the end of the corridor. She hadn't heard him approach, and his hurried pace caught her off guard.

"Mr Collin?" she called out, a little unsure. "Is everything alright?"

Jack stopped short when he saw Olivia, his face a mask of concern. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were there," he said. "I'm just on my way to speak with Mr. Westmore. Is there anything I can help you with?"

Olivia hesitated, wondering if she should mention the strange hole and the passageway she had just seen. She decided to wait, not wanting to jump to any conclusions until she had more information.

"No, it's okay," she replied. "I was just looking for a cup of tea." She said, and wished she hadn't

Jack nodded. "Well, if there's nothing else I can do for you, I'll be on my way," he said, and continued down the corridor, his brisk pace renewed.

She watched Jack Collins disappear around the corner, her mind churning with questions. It was unusual for him to be on that floor, especially since he had never ventured beyond the sitting room during his previous visits. 

She had the feeling that something was amiss. Was Jack's presence on the floor a mere coincidence, or was it somehow connected to the mysterious hole and passageway she had just discovered?

She knew that she couldn't ignore what she had seen. She needed to investigate further, to find out where the passageway led and why it existed. But she also knew that she needed to be cautious. If there was something sinister at play, she didn't want to put herself or anyone else in danger.

She resolved to ask Melissa. She had been housekeeper at the mansion for many years. When she got into her room, she found a sticky paper and placed it over the hole before she fell asleep. 

***

Jack Collins found Alex in his study, he had new information concerning Sophia's death. He had uncovered evidence that suggested Sophia had been having an affair with a man named Xavier Drake, who worked at the orphanage Sophia frequented. 

''This is a significant development in the investigation,'' he said, ''as it provided a potential motive for Sophia's murder.''

Alex listened with a mix of shock and relief. He never imagined that Sophia could disregard her reputation and have an affair. Their marriage was not rosy but he provided her with as much support and attention as he could. 

Jack continued: "I know this must be difficult to hear.''

Alex shrugged. It was the breakthrough he needed in this case.

''Do you know anything about this Xavier Drake or have you confronted him?"

"Unfortunately, there's more bad news.'' Jack shifted his weight to one foot. He had hurt one of his feet the previous night. ''Xavier Drake was found dead last night, and it appears to be a suicide."

The news was tragic and there was silence in the room for a while.

"We can link their deaths together. It's possible, the timing is suspicious. According to forensics, he has been dead for at least a week.'' Collins said.

''That falls into the same timeline as Sophia's death.'' Alex's mind was calculating. Could he have killed Sophia and then overcome with guilt, killed himself?

Jack remained expressionless: "We'll keep investigating. We would keep looking into Xavier's death and see if there are any connections to Miss Carter or if anyone else is involved.''

Alex rubbed the temple of his head: "I appreciate your work, Jack, but we can't forget that there's a time limit here. We only have a week left before the deadline.'' 

Jack nodded and took his leave. As he left the study, he pulled out his phone and typed a quick message to an unknown recipient.

 "She has seen the hole," the text read. 

He sent it and slipped the phone back into his pocket.